Apparatus for treating hydrocarbons



J. W. COAST, JR.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, I917.

Patented Apr, 12, 1921.

i /r/fra PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN W. COAST, JR, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOB TO THE PROCESS COMPANY, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A COREORATION 0F MARYLAND.

AIE'II?ARA'IUS FOR TREATING: HYDROGABBONS.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed May 31, 1917. Serial No. 172,037.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. CoAs'r, J r., a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for treating hydrocarbons, and more particularly to means for condensing the high boiling point hydrocarbons passing from a still. The main object of the invention is to provide a simple means whereby air can be very effectively utilized as a cooling medium for the vapor.

V In the preferred form of the invention, air is conducted through a collection of tubes in an air cooled condenser, so as to heat the air and create an induced draft in the tubes. The vapor is admitted to the condenser at a point near the hot discharge ends of the air tubes, and then deflected back and forth across the outer faces of the tubes, the low boiling point hydrocarbons being discharged, preferably in the form of vapor, from the relatively cool portion of the condenser.

Figure I is a diagrammatical view of a cracking apparatus embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. TI is an enlarged longitudinal section of the air cooled condenser.

Fig. III-is an end view of the condenser.

To illustrate the invention, 1 have shownv a cracking still 1 arranged above a heating chamber 2 and provided with a vapor pipe 3 leading to an air cooled condenser A, wherein the high boiling point fractions are condensed. 1 designates a vapor pipe leading to a water cooled condensing coil 5, from which the. low boiling point product isrecovered.

The apparatus I-have shown is particularly adapted for use in cracking high boil: ing point products of distillation, such, for

example,

' from thedistillation of crude petroleum.

The substances to be treated are introducedinto the still-in'any suitable manner, and any desired ressurec'an be obtained by regulating a va ve 6 in the vapor PlPQAt. The

as distillates orresidues resulting.

pressure in the still 1 and condenser A is preferably greater than 50 pounds per square inch, and the temperature of the contents of the still preferably ranges from about 600 F. to 800 F. The low boiling polnt fractions passing from the still flow through the vapor pipe 3, condenser A, vapor pipe 4: and then into the main condenser 5. The relatively high boiling point fractions are condensed in the condenser A, such fractions being either recovered as separate products, or returned to the still for further treatment, as will be presently described.

The condenser A comprises a large aircooled drum provided with a series of baffles 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, whereby it is divided into a series of condensing chambers. The baffles 8, 10 and 12 extend from the top to points near the bottom of the drum, and the baffles 9 and 11 extend from the bottom to points near the top of thedrum. A primary condensing chamber 13 is formed between the baffle 9 and one end of the large drum; an intermediate condensing chamber 14: is formed between the bafiles 9 andll, a final condensing chamber 15 being formed between said baffle 11 and an end wall of th drum.

16 designates horizontal air conducting tubes extending from one end of the drum to the other and passing through the different baflies. A hot air flue 17 extending upwardly from one end of the condensing drum, is arranged to receive the heated air passing from the discharge ends of the tubes 16. The draft may be regulated by adjusting a damper 18 in the hot air flue 17 Air, at atmospheric temperature, enters the tubes 16 as indicated by unfeathered arrows at the right hand'end of FigII, and this air is heated as it flows through the horizontal tubes, the hot air being discharged into the flue 17 where it rises so as to create i an induced draft in the horizontal tubes- My object is to circulate the vapor back and forth across the outer faces of the honzontal air conducting tubes and at the same time conduct the vapor from the hottest portion of the condenser to the relatively cool end thereof where the fresh air is admitted to the horizontal-tubes. Thevapor passing in the directions indicated by the feathered 3 arrows in Fig. llL/ Iii the primary condensing chamber 13, the vapor flows upwardly and over the upper edge of the ballle 7 downwardly between the baflles 7 and 8, and then upwardly between the baiiles 8 and 9. The vapor then escapes from the primary condensing chamber by passing over. the upper edge of the baflie 9, flowing downwardlytbetween the b ames 9 "and 10, and then upwardly between the battles 10 and 11. The vapor passing over the upper edge of the baflie ll flowsdownwardly be tween the baflles 11 and 12 and then 11pwardly to the vapor pipe 4: leading tothe main condenser.

The horizontal air tubes are preferably staggered, as shown in FigIllI, and they serve as baflies for the vapor which'must flow back and forth across thesetubes in passing through the condensing drum. The

. vapor is thus brought into contact with the tubes a number of times and thoroughly subjected to the cooling action of the air currents. 'The vapor circulates back andforth in the drum, but its general direction of movement is opposite to the direction of the air currents in the tubes 16. In other words,

the vapor enters the drum near the discharge .ends ofthe air tubes and passes from the drum near the intake ends of'the air tubes. As a consequencathe vapor is first subjected v action of the preheated air near the disc arge ends of the tubes, and finally to the relatively cool portion of the. condenser near the intake ends of said tubes.

The last mentioned portion of the condenser is never subjected to the maximum vapor temperature, and it is constantly cooled by the incomingair currentsat the intake ends ofthetubes. Y Several desirable results are obtained by condensing the high boiling oint fractions in this manner.- Avery e ective induced draft is created in the horizontal tubes by the rising current of hot air in the flue 17..

By deflecting the vapor. back and vforth across the outer faces of the staggered hori- "Zontal tiibes, all-of the vapor is re eatedly brought into intimate contact with t e tubes and such contact is maintained for a considerable period of time. It is also an advantage to'maintain the dischargecnd of the condenser in a relatively cool condition, as

previously pointed out. The different con-- densing chambers are maintained at diifer- .mary or intermediate condensing .densing chamber. 15, near the intake ends of the air cooled tubes; The high boiling point fractions cannot escape to the vapor mp pe; leading I from the relatively 1 dm mgchamber harass? tively wide vapor spaces may be formed between the collection of tubes and the sides of the drum. The condensate formed on the tubes-in the upper portion of the drum,

drop from one tube to another, and fall onto the bottom of the drum. The b'aflies 9 and 11 prevent this condensate from flowing ample, condensate having a gravity of 34 B. may be recovered from the primary condensing chamber 13, while the condensate flowing from the condensing chambers 14: and 15 will be 4013. and 50 B. respectively.

,A discharge pipe 13, leading from the bottom of the primary condensing chamber 13, is connected to pipes 20, 21 and 22. 14' designates .a discharge pipe leading from the intermediate condensing chamber 14 and connected to the pipes 20, 21 and 22; The discharge 'pipe- 15' leading from the final bondensing chamber 15 is also connected to the pipes 2O, 21 and 22. Valves 23, 24 and 25 may be regulated to control the flow of condensate from the pipes 13, 14: and 15', to the pipes 20, 21 and 22. The

. pipe 20 leads to the still and thehigh boill ing point condensate" may be returned {through this pipe for further treatment.

The pipes21 and 22 lead to water cooled coils 26 and 27 The condensate may be discharged through these cooling coils and recovered as a Se ate product or products. A study of Fig. 23, 254: and 25 and the pipes associated therewith are soarranged that any of the fractions condensed in the condenser A can-be either'returnedto thg. still, or discharged. through one of the water cooled coils and recovered as a separate product. When the apparatus is in service,*some of the valves are closed and the open Valves are regulated v to maintain the desired high pressure in the condenser A and still 1. A

I claim:' v, 1. An air cooled fractional condenser comprising a drum provided with baffles extending from the top to points near the bottom of the drum, baflles extending from the bottom to'points near the top of the drum so as to divide the drum into a series of Suecessive fractional condensing chambers, individual condensate conductors leading from will show that the valvesdrum, said parts being so arranged that vapor passing through said vapor inlet will flow back and forth across the outer faces of the air conducting tubes and at the same time How from one end of the drum to the other in a general direction opposite to the direction of the air currents in said tubes, and a hot air flue arranged to receive the heated air passing from said tubes, said hot air flue being extended upwardly so that the hot air rising therein will create an induced draft in said air conducting tubes.

2. An air cooled condenser comprising a drum provided with bafiies extending from the top to points near the bottom of the drum, baffles extending from the bottom to points near the top of the drum so as to divide the drum into a series of successive fractional condensing chambers, individual condensate conductors extending downwardly-from the bottom of said drum and communicating with the respective condensing chambers, so as to separately deliver the difierent fractions from said drum, a collection of approximately horizontal stagv gered air conducting tubes passing through."

said baffles and extending from one end o the drum to the other to serve as staggered bafiles for the vapor in all of said condensing chambers, said tubes being close to each other and relatively Wide vapor spaces being formed between the collection of tubes and the sides of the drum, the condensing chamber near the discharge ends of said air conducting tubeshaving a vapor inlet for the admission of vapor to the drum, the condensing chamber near the inlet ends of said air conducting tubes having a vapor outlet for the discharge of vapor from the drum, said parts being arranged that vapor passing through said vapor inlet will flow back and forth across the outer faces of the air conducting tubes and at the same time fiovv from one end of the drum to the other in a general direction opposite to the direc .tion of the air currents in said tubes, a hot air flue arranged to receive the heated air passing from the discharge ends of said tubes, said hot air'flue being extended upwarilly from an end of the drum so that the hot air rising in the flue will create an induced draft in the approximately horizontal air conducting tubes, and a damper for regulating the draft in said hot air flue.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l hereunto aifix my signature JOHN W. coasr, JR 

